5 Minutes With … Hospitality-Unit Guru Gerry Biasi
Interview and photos by Chris Jonnum

One of the coolest things about MotoGP races is the glamour, and one of the main examples of that glamour is the various hospitality units that teams and sponsors construct in the paddock every weekend. Gerry Biasi—a 16-year-veteran of the GP tour—is the man behind many of those units, including those of Team Suzuki, Roberts, and Fortuna Yamaha. But Biasi’s crown-jewel is the Red Bull Energy Station, a two-story, transparent structure that dominates the pits. The Energy Station is truly the place to be, and it just keeps growing: the photos you see here—shot at this year’s second round in Estoril, Portugal, are already somewhat outdated, as the unit at this weekend’s Catalunya MotoGP in Spain is even more impressive. We spoke with Biasi while eating pasta in the Energy Station at the aforementioned Estoril GP.

RRX : Aren’t you one of the originators of the hospitality-area concept?
Gerry Biasi: When I started, the way to do hospitality was totally different to what we’re doing now. There were just paper plates and plastic forks. We started to do ceramic plates and real glasses. Then when somebody starts, the next one is coming and the next one is coming, doing the same thing. Then we stepped up again, and then they stepped up, and then we stepped up. It’s a kind of very silent competition in the background.

How did you get into this?
[Laughs] That’s a funny story. Seventeen years ago, some friends from this sport joined me at my home for a late night in the wine cellar. We came out a little bit drunk, and one of the guys said, “You have to do my hospitality!”—maybe because he enjoyed [my hospitality]—“You have to do my catering for me!” To be honest, I didn’t understand what he was talking about, because my job was business. I didn’t realize what he told me, but three weeks later, he sent me a contract. I phoned him and said, “What’s that?” He said, “You promised me you were going to do that!” I said, “No, no, I’m going to do it, but can I come to the next race, so I can see what I have to do?” So we started. I went to the next race and said, “Okay, I’m sure I can do this.” I hired the right people and started. I was thinking a story of about one or two years. Now I’m here 16 years.

It must have changed a lot since then.
Yeah, of course, but the concept is still the same. My personal concept is I’m not a caterer. I’m a guest, and I think as a guest. I think always, What would I like when I go in somewhere? Maybe this is a little bit the difference. When you’re a professional, sometimes you get behind the wall. I don’t have this wall because I expect always a lot from myself, so I will give a lot. Maybe that’s my luck. When you watch the movie, it’s nothing special, but when you watch it from inside, this is completely different. I cannot tell to the chef how he has to cook something—especially then. I had never made an egg!

The Red Bull Energy Station has to be the most impressive hospitality unit in the paddock.
Yeah, it’s two floors, and it reflects the Red Bull energy and spirit. Red Bull is doing a great job with this, and everyone should say thank you to them, in my opinion.

It’s unique in that it’s transparent, whereas many of the units seem so closed off.
Yeah, this is an important point. Red Bull has an open mentality. What they’re doing here is completely transmitting the same feeling that you have in their office. In every event that they’re involved, you have always the same feeling. It’s an open thing. Of course we can’t let in everybody. But more or less, the paddock and the paddock people, the riders. It’s a great thing for everybody.

There’s a saying that goes, “It’s not a party unless everyone is invited.”
Exactly! Exactly.

Who designed the Energy Station?
Red Bull came up with the design. It has a half-moon shape, but we have added to it over the years. Also, depending on how big you want it, you can adjust it as you build it at each race.

Tell me a few facts and figures about it.
We have three transport trucks for the hospitality unit, and one truck for the catering, for every European race. We have nine to 10 people building everything, and they start Wednesday between 10:30 and 12, depending upon how easy it is to get in. We’re ready by Thursday lunchtime, so basically, it’s 18 hours to build up everything—all of Wednesday, and then another four or five hours on Thursday. After Thursday lunchtime, we start to set out drinks and coffee, and then the teams come for dinner. And then Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we have the normal schedule, from the morning to the evening, on Sunday until 4 or 5 o’clock.

What will you have at the Red Bull USGP?
We won’t bring this to the USA, but as I understand it, they’re using a different hospitality unit there.